


Help!

by rocket_diving



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: :(, F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, Neal Can't Be Dead, SwanThief, Swanfire - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-10
Updated: 2015-11-10
Packaged: 2018-04-30 21:47:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5180900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rocket_diving/pseuds/rocket_diving
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Correcting the untimely death of Neal Cassidy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Help!

The wind dried her cheeks, dragged away the remains of each tear as quickly as she shed them. Distantly, Emma heard the sounds of Rumplestiltskin’s mourning, his shuddering whispers of, “ _Bae_ , _Bae_ …”

She stared down at Neal, at his slack features and parted mouth, at the faint tracks of crow’s feet at the corner of his eyes, his skin already paling. Her sorrow clenched her chest like a vice so that each breath ached.

“You should go." 

Emma slowly turned toward Rumple who knelt motionlessly beside Neal, his expression indecipherable. Her own eyes were wide and searching. “Do something. Help him.”

"I already told you, I cannot.”

“You’ve got to think of _something_ , Gold,” Emma began, her lowly spoken words gaining momentum as her gaze hardened. “A potion, a spell, a contract—”

"My magic cannot undo it.” Rumple bowed his head, a shaking hand rising to his mouth as he murmured his son’s name once more. It was only then that the awful finality of Rumplestiltskin’s defeat in this registered with Emma. 

Neal was gone, and no part of her was prepared to say goodbye, not when she knew with certainty that she would never see him again. Not when she could finally say more than a few kind words to him without it hurting. Not when she was finally able to admit that she and Neal had been _friends_ as much as they had been _lovers_ … and that frankly, suggesting she go off and live a bittersweet Tallahassee dream while he went off and **died** was a real crock of shit.

Before Emma realized it, her hands had closed around Neal’s collar, her brows knitting together as she dragged his weight off of her and laid him flat. She tore at the lapels of his coat, fingers fumbling against the buttons as she exposed his chest.

Rumple’s voice was off-pitch and anxious as he lunged toward her. ”What- What are you doing!?” 

“Magic can’t save him?   _Fine_ ,” Emma all but growled, layering her hands over the middle of Neal’s chest. She ground out each word as she began pressing down strong, quick, and rhythmic, “We don’t need it.”

"You can’t, this.. this won’t work,” Rumplestiltskin still hovered, but hadn’t yet moved to stop her.

“I _can_ and it _will_ ,” she snapped back, glaring up and daring him to try to interrupt her. The swan pendant dug sharply into her palm as she continued the compressions - she’d forgotten she was still holding onto the necklace. 

Finishing the count, Emma shifted to take Neal’s chin in her left hand, pinching closed his nose with her right. Tilting his head back, she bowed and drew her mouth over his to breathe—

Emma uttered an inarticulate noise of shock and she shot back onto her haunches, as Neal suddenly stirred and awoke with a startled gasp. 

She stared frantically between Rumplestiltskin and Neal, hoping neither had noticed the rush of warm air like a nostalgic, spring breeze, and the flash of magic expanding outward as a curse was broken by true love’s kiss. 

Judging by the looks they were wearing (Rumple’s an expression of undying gratitude that she sincerely hoped he would never aim at her again, and Neal’s an expression of wonderment that was rapidly transforming into a self-satisfied yet endearing grin), she was fairly certain that was not the case.


End file.
